Replacement Sheerframe windows helped one of the North East's largest colleges of further education slash energy consumption and transform comfort for students and staff. The window replacement project was driven by the low comfort levels in all parts of the main Northumberland College campus building in Ashington, which was draughty in the winter months and poorly ventilated in the summer. The final phase of the major window replacement project involved the installation of nearly 500 Sheerframe casement windows alone and included curtain walling in some areas. The project was completed in two phases, both taking place during the summer holidays, so as not to cause disruption to the college's 12,000 full and part-time students. The refurbishment project was carried out over a five-year period and saw the first major work being carried out on the building since its construction in the 1950s. In addition to new windows and curtain walling, the refurbishment project included new toilet facilities and internal remodelling work. The building's original single glazed metal windows were replaced with double glazed Sheerframe 6000 casement windows. The first phase was completed on the rear elevation of the college over a summer period in record time. Phase two involved the installation of a 10m x 13.5m curtain walling grids with 45 individual window modules, as well as nearly 300 casement windows. Jim Arden, estates and buildings manager at Northumberland College, says, “Within a few weeks of the completion of the first phase, we noticed a marked difference in the comfort levels in the part of the building newly completed compared to the part still to do. There has been a marked reduction in the heating costs this year, which I'm sure will continue to reduce over the coming academic year.”